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Tomas Juanico
}} Records in the Canonical Books of the Roman Catholic Church in Banate Don Tomas Juanico, is well recalled in the memory of his descendants in Banate, Iloilo, Philippines. In the year 2007, the first ever reunion of his descendants was held in Banate National High School grounds. More than a thousand descendants coming from various provinces of Western Visayas attended the whole day event, the majority of whom do not know each other. He is mentioned in the burial registry of his grandchildren Bonifacia and Luisa, daughters of his son Apolonio, who was married to Juana del Carmen. These records identify his wife as Lucia Balderas. He is also referred to in the burial record of his other son, Apolinario Juanico y Balderas, who was interred in the Catholic Cemetery of Banate, on 30 June 1919, at the age of eighty years old. This document identifies the maternal grandparents of his son as Vicente Balderas and Tiburcia Balderas, who were also parents of Don Martin Balderas, his wife's brother, who was another Gobernadorcillo of Banate. Apolinario Balderas Juanico is also listed among the Gobernadorcillos of Banate during the colonial period. Gobernadorcillo of Banate An extant document that attests to his important leadership role in Banate is the record of the towns's Local Election Results in 1855 (retrieved from the National Archives in Manila). The document shows the list of elected town Officials (chosen by their respective Principales, from among their own class) for the towns of Barotac Viejo, Ajuy, Banate and Anilao. This document indicates that Don Tomas Juanico was elected as Gobernadorcillo by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principal%C3%ADa Principales] of Banate in that year. The following were the other town officials: D. Alfonso Arroyo- Primer Teniente, Pablo Becenra- Segundo Teniente y Juez mayor de Ganados, Sabino Apacible- Juez mayor de Sementeras, Claudio Juanico- Juez de Policia, Fabiano Baquisal- Primer Alguacil, Tobias Bacabac- Segundo Alguacil, Luis Banbeno-Tercer Alguacil. Cf. Official local election results record for the year 1855 found in the National Archives entitled: Relacion nominal de los Gobernadorcillos y demas Ministros de Justicia que quedan en ejercicio en el año coriente y el entrante de 1856 y con titulos del Superior Gobierno in Elecciones de Gobernadorcillos: Iloilo (1838–1893), p. 51. , Spain. At the time the document was written, there were 3,145 persons paying tribute ("de pago") in Banate, and 256 or around 12.29% classified as "de privilegio y gratis" (principales), who were exempted from paying taxes.]] The election of Don Tomas Juanico to the highest political position in 1855 was historically significant. It happened during an important phase in the history of Banate. More particularly, it signaled the full recovery of the town as an autonomous Spanish colonial "pueblo" after it was sacked by the moro marauders from Mindanao in 1764. Although Governor General Antonio Blanco declared Banate as an independent parish, on 5 April 1850 (at the same date as that of Anilao),Fr. Juan Fernandez, O.S.A, Monografias de los pueblos de la isla de Panay in Monographs of the Towns of Panay, Jose Espinosa, Jr., trans., Iloilo City: University of San Augustine, 2006, p. 64. the town was not formally established as a parish until 1854. At the time when Don Tomas Juanico became Gobernadorcillo, the town was placed under the patronage of St. John the Baptist.Cf. Report of R. P. Fray Bernardo Arquero, O.S.A, Parish Priest of Banate, dated 1 January 1897. The document was signed in the Parish Rectory and was later sent to the Augustinian Archives in Valladolid, Spain. He was the first Gobernadocillo to have organized Banate's town fiesta in honor of St. John the Baptist, its patron saint. Some Descendants The eldest of the children of Don Tomas Juanico and Doña Lucia Balderas was Doña Andrea Juanico y Balderas, who was married to Don Vicente Brillantes y Blancaflor of Barotac Nuevo. From this line the following issues were born: * Aquilino, married to Francisca Pelagio (daughter of Pedro Pelagio). * Julian * Petronilo * Arcadio Notes and references Notes: Category:Principalía